Mbonyi returns, set to perform in Brussels
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Rwandan gospel singer Israel Mbonyi is scheduled to perform in Brussels in June. Photo by DAN GATSINZI

After a small break of nearly three months, gospel singer Israel Mbonyi is back and ready to thrill his Europe-based fans once again.

This time around, the singer is heading back to Brussels, Belgium, where he had his first sold-out concert outside the country on June 11, 2023, which attracted thousands of Rwandan music lovers at Birmingham Palace.

PHOTOS: Israel Mbonyi lights up Brussels

The development was confirmed by Justin Karekezi, the brains behind Tema Production, which is popularly known for hosting the biggest African musicians in Brussels.

According to Karekezi, Mbonyi will perform in Belgium on June 8, and might also have other shows on the continent in the same period.

Rwandan gospel singer Israel Mbonyi is scheduled to perform in Brussels in June. Courtesy photo

"In the more than 13 years I have been organising shows, I never witnessed concert tickets selling out 24 hours before the show until Mbonyi came to Brussels last year. This was a huge move for the Rwandan music industry and I think he can even go beyond on his next show. It’s going to be massive,” Karekezi said, adding that Mbonyi’s last performance in Belgium attracted over 2,000 fans.

Mbonyi is back on the stage after enjoying the massive takeover of his previous album which holds hit songs like ‘Nina Siri’ that gained close to 40 million views on different streaming platforms.

ALSO READ: Israel Mbonyi’s ‘Nina Siri’ hits 30M YouTube views in six months

The song, composed and sung in Kiswahili, won the hearts of music lovers from Swahili-speaking countries including former Vice-President of Kenya, Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, who recently posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) singing and dancing to the song.

"Nina Siri" received 30 million views on YouTube within six months after its release, marking another achievement for Mbonyi in Rwanda's music scene. He is also the first local artist to sell out BK Arena not once, but twice.